Orthodontic fittings



Nov. 23, 1965 M. WALLSHEIN 3,218,712

ORTHODONTIC FITTINGS Filed April 11. 1961 INVENTOR, MELVIN WALLSH El N I ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,218,712 ORTHODONTIC FITTINGS Melvin Wallshein, 8645 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Apr. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 102,285 9 Claims. (Cl. 3214) The present invention relates to improved fittings for use in orthodontia and more particularly to brackets carried on teeth in a mouth to hold an arch wire.

When it is required to move a tooth mesially or distally, one technique in orthodontia is to cause the tooth to move in its upright position, that is, to move the root along with the crown. This requires the application of a relatively substantial force and takes time. Another procedure employed is first to tilt the tooth in the direction in which it is to be shifted and then, as a subsequent movement, to upright the tooth, meaning to shift the root in line with the crown. Tilting is quickly accomplished with comparatively little force and the subsequent uprighting of the tooth as a secondary movement, is done quicker than moving the tooth bodily.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide novel and improved bracket construction for the practice involving tilting and then uprighting. Another object is to provide a novel and improved bracket construction allowing the arch wire to be set at various positions thereon to adjust the swing capability of such bracket in relation to the arch wire, in order to accentuate tilting action or accomplish uprighting as the case may be.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved bracket construction in which the application of a tie wire to hold the arch wire properly mounted, will automatically shift such arch wire against the base of the channel in the bracket and such tie Wire, which would be in ring form, would be restrained from movement away from the arch wire.

A further object thereof is to provide novel and improved bracket construction of the type set forth offering leverage and camming action to force-producing appliances and to act to turn a tooth.

A further object thereof is to provide novel and improved orthodontic bracket construction where a single bracket can accommodate arch wires of different sizes and cross-sectional shapes for the accomplishment of the aforementioned purposes.

Still another object thereof is to provide novel and improved orthodontic bracket structure having the stated attributes, which is reasonable in cost, easy to use and efiicient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For the practice of this invention, an element which is fast on the tooth, as for instance, a tight tooth-encircling band, carries a member having a horizontal channel or its equivalent to receive the arch wire laterally thereinto and thus support the same. Said bracket member is of such shape that at different distances depthwise of the channel, the respective lengths from side end to side end of the channel, are different; there being the occurrence of at least two such different lengths across the bracket 'body. That is, at at least two positions through and along the channel, the lengths of the arch wire confined by or within the confines of the bracket member, are different. The body of said member may be tapered, conical, pyramidic or of adjacent parts of different cross sections which may even be circular, or of combinations of such shapes. In each of the embodiments, serrations, grooves, threads or similar-purpose formations may be provided on the peripheral surface of the bracket, to

3,218,712 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 ice afford locating and engagement means for tie wires encircling same to hold the arch wire along a predetermined depth in the channel as may be required to fix the extent of the limits of contact the arch wire makes with the bracket body. The bracket body is preferably of nonresilient material, to avoid any movement of any bracket part with respect to the tooth. When a bracket embodies a tapered portion in which there is the channel, it is preferred that the apex of such tapered portion shall be towards the tooth.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a patients upper teeth about which is shown an orthodontic arch wire or cable supported on brackets embodying the teachings of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the type of bracket used in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken at line 33 in FIG. 2 including an arch wire supported in the bracket and held by tie Wires at a predetermined position in the channel of said bracket. The showing in FIG. 3 is of a modified construction.

FIG. 4 is a section taken at line 44 in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views of modified forms of bracket structure in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 8 shows a tooth in a mouth having a bracket whose body is of the rectangular prismatic form heretofore in use. An arch wire is shown supported in this bracket with spring means anchored to the arch wire, acting against the side wall of such bracket.

FIG. 8a is a view like FIG. 8, showing the initial action of force in causing the tooth to tilt, but now acting to upright the tooth as will be explained.

FIG. 9 is the front view of a tooth in a mouth holding a bracket of circular cross section as shown in FIGS. 2 or 6. An arch wire is mounted in the bracket and spring means act on the bracket. The elfects of the continued action of the spring Will be explained.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but here the arch wire is arranged to impart a different kind of movement to the tooth.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a bracket on a tooth in a mouth. The bracket form is one having a tapered body and the arch wire is shown near the apex region thereof. Also, there is spring action against the bracket which will cause a certain movement of the tooth.

FIG. 12 is like FIG. 11, but here the arch wire is at a distance from the apex region, afiording different actions on the tooth as will be explained.

In respect to FIG. 1, all the other figures are enlarged; the FIGS. 8-12 being drawn to one scale while the FIGS. 2-7 are more magnified.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the bracket of FIG. 6, supporting a broad fiat arch wire which completley fills the channel to get the advantage of the larger contact area with the bracket for uprighting.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates generally an orthodontic bracket comprising a conical body 16 whose apex is preferably integral with a coaxial pad 17 adapted to be welded or otherwise securely fixed to the exterior surface of a tubular band 18 which is to be mounted tightly about a tooth 19. The cones axis will be horizontal when the bracket is in use. Across the base and extending depthwise to near the apex region of the conical body 16, there is a notch in said body to form a channel 20 which is horizontal. The conical body is thus provided with the tines 21, 21' whose outer surfaces may be provided respectively with annular serrations 22,

22' which may be short notches or by notches entirely around the outer conical surface or such serrations may be formed as grooves or threads. The inner opposite walls 23, 23' of the channel are preferably parallel. Each tine has an outward flange as at 25, 25' at the base of the conical form. The base of the channel may be enlarged as shown at 26.

It is evident that the tapered form may be a pyramidic body 27 or, as shown in FIG. 5, such body 27 may be contiguous with a reduced portion 27 wherein the bottom part of channel is square to be just sufficient to admit and straddle a round arch wire of given diameter. Or, different lengths across the channel may be afforded by the bracket shown in FIG. 6, composed of an enlarged cylindrical part 28 contiguous with a reduced part 28', in which bracket there is the channel 29. The embodiment 24 illustrated in FIG. 7 is made of sheet metal bent to give the incidence of structure of the bracket of FIG. 5. It is evident that at least two different distances into the channel in each of the embodiments shown, the respective lengths of arch wire within the confines of the channel are different.

In the conical and pyramidical bracket forms, the line of contact of the arch wire with the channel wall, or the distance between the limits of contact of the arch wire with the bracket 24, gradually decreases as the position of the arch wire approaches the apex region of the bracket. Hence, as such contact line decreases in length, the swingability of the bracket in a vertical plane increases. The increased freedom of movement within the enlargement 26 affords the bracket considerable swingability.

The arch wire 30, when up against the floor wall 31 of a channel at the apex region of a bracket, requires a single tie wire in front and about the bracket body to hold said arch wire in place. At such position, swingability is greatest because of the one point fulcrum contact. When the tapered surfaces of the brackets are smooth, meaning without any serrations or the like, the tie wire tied into a ring thereabout will quickly and automatically slide the arch wire against the floor of the channel at the apex region of the bracket and hold it there. When the arch wire 30 is to be positioned along the channel, part way of the full depth of such channel, as shown in FIG. 3, the bracket shall have the serrations 22, 22', since two tie wires 32 and 33 are used, one in back, one in front of, and both substantially in contact with the arch wire.

The bracket 24 may be a sheet metal punch press product. All the brackets may be made as castings and those of circular cross-section may be screw machine work whose channels are milled.

To better understand the attributes of the bracket structures taught herein as to their effect on various tooth movements, I will first refer to FIGS. 8 and 8a which show a bracket heretofore in use. This bracket 34 is rectangular prismatic in form, hence presenting flat side walls. If we apply a force to one of these walls, as for instance, by the use of the tensed coil spring 35 anchored at 36 to the arch wire 37, the tooth 38 will tilt, a position shown exaggerated in FIG. 8a. Holding in mind that the arch wire 37 remains straight, the bracket in its movement has come to the position where its side walls are tilted. The action of the spring 35 is now concentrated at point P, which condition occurs as soon as the tooth has tilted even slightly. The action of the horizontal force at point P will not be one which tilts the tooth, but one which tends to upright the tooth. Hence, there is no further tilting action and unless the spring 35 is strong, there will be no uprighting action because it takes comparatively little force to tilt the tooth. However, it requires considerable force to upright the tooth. The amount of tilt required is more than is usually afforded by the condition shown in FIG. 8, hence several adjustments became necessary to accomplish the tilt extent sought.

This objectionable condition is eliminated by the use of brackets of circular cross section as is afforded by the brackets of FIGS. 2 and 6, either of which are used in the system of FIG. 9. Here, the action of the spring 39 when applied to a tooth 40 which is to be tilted, is to tilt the same, but the bracket wall is always circular. Hence, there is no tilted bracket wall as in FIG. 8a, and the continued action of the spring 39 is to continue tilting the tooth 40 further and such tilting action is permitted until the tilt assumes the required slope without any further adjustments. It is to be further noted that with the brackets having tapered form bodies as 16 and 27, when the arch wire 44 is at apex region of the bracket body as in FIG. 11, the spring 41, being very near the tooth 42, causes tilting, and when the arch wire 43 is a distance away from the tooth as shown in FIG. 12, the tooth 45 will receive a turning action because of the leverage afforded.

To upright a tilted tooth shown in FIG. 10, the bracket 46 may be of any of the forms shown as constituting this invention. Here the arch wire 47 is stress-bent and since it is stationary against longitudinal movement, except where stress-bent as shown, the strong arch wire 47 in straightening, will move the root of the tooth 48 and thereby upright such tooth. Of importance is that the mounting of the arch wire 47 to accomplish uprighting, shall afford little, if any, swingability so that the bracket 46 will positively move as the arch wire straightens. Hence, in such instance, the arch wire is mounted to have a long contact with the channel of the bracket and so it is positioned away from the apex region of the bracket body. This length of contact may be had by mounting the arch wire so it rests in the channel and on the extensions 48, 49, the equivalent of which is provided in all the other embodiments of bracket structure taught herein, or a bit inward of the channel as shown in FIGS. 3 and 12.

To properly align some teeth, only uprighting is necessary. It is evident that all the bracket structures taught herein have the feature that at at least two distances depthwise into the channel, the distances along the channel from side end to side end are different and it has been shown how to use all of them employing this feature of construction to effect uprighting. The brackets embodying this invention which are of circular cross-section have the additional advantage that they are especially adaptable for tilting procedures and that when the bracket body is tapered and smooth, there is quick automatic shifting of the arch wire against the base of the channel when the tie wire is applied and tied into a ring about the bracket body. Also, I have provided that to facilitate tilting operations, proper swingability is afforded the bracket with respect to the straight arch wire therethrough and rigid association is attained between the bracket and arch Wire in uprighting procedures.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment .set forth herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth, reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

Iclaim:

1. In an orthodontic system comprising an element to be securely mounted on a tooth, a bracket fixed on said element and having on open-ended channel across and into said bracket and an arch wire positioned through and along said channel and contacting said bracket body, the improvement being in the bracket body which comprises a body having said channel therein, said channel being substantially horizontal lengthwise and depthwise when said element is mounted on a tooth and the open ends of said channel being in opposite side surfaces of said bracket .5 body respectively, the distance along the channel from one of said side surfaces to the other at a first predetermined distance into the channel, being greater than the distance along the channel from one of said surfaces to the other at a predetermined second distance further into the channel whereby when said arch wire is at the first distance into the channel, a greater portion of said arch Wire will be in contact with said bracket body than when said arch wire is at the second distance into said channel.

2. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 1, wherein the bracket body is provided with a serrated formation on its outer surface to engage a tie wire.

3. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 1, wherein opposite portions of said opposite side surfaces of the bracket body are in convergent relation towards said element, the open ends of the channel being in said portions respectively.

4. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, Wherein at least part of the bracket body is conical, the open ends of said channel being in said conical part.

5. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein at least part of the bracket body is pyramidical, the open ends of the channel being in said pyramidical part.

6. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 1, wherein the bracket body is of circular cross-section.

7. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel extends depthwise to substantially adjacent said element, said channel being of enlarged cross section at its end adjacent said element.

8. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 1, wherein the bracket includes two forwardly extending relatively thin parts, each lying in vertical planes and in divergent relation from said element; each of said thin parts having a notch in its forward edge; said notches being opposite each other whereby they define a channel for supporting the arch wire.

9. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 8, wherein the bracket body is formed of sheet metal.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,301,755 4/ 1919 Sorrell 132-33 1,304,723 5/1919 Young 32-14 1,467,789 9/1923 Grifiin 32-14 2,011,575 8/1935 Ford 32-14 2,508,374 5/ 1950 Cipolla 132-40 2,686,365 8/ 1954 Schurter 32-14 2,759,265 8/ 1956 Johnson 32-14 2,908,974 10/ 1959 Stifter 32-14 2,959,856 11/1960 Gurin 32-14 3,019,504 2/ 1962 Castagliuolo 24-124 3,052,027 9/ 1962 Wallshein 32-14 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner. 

1. IN AN ORTHODONTIC SYSTEM COMPRISING AN ELEMENT TO BE SECURELY MOUNTED ON A TOOTH, A BRACKET FIXED ON SAID ELEMENT AND HAVING AN OPEN-ENDED CHANNEL ACROSS AND INTO SAID BRACKET AND AN ARCH WIRE POSITIONED THROUGH AND ALONG SAID CHANNEL AND CONTACTING SAID BRACKET BODY, THE IMPROVEMENT BEING IN THE BRACKET BODY WHICH COMPRISES A BODY HAVING SAID CHANNEL THEREIN, SAID CHANNEL BEING SUBSTANTIAL HORIZONTAL LENGTHWISE AND DEPTHWISE WHEN SAID ELEMENT IS MOUNTED ON A TOOTH AND THE OPEN ENDS OF SAID CHANNEL BEING IN OPPOSITE SIDE SURFACES OF SAID BRACKET BODY RESPECTIVELY, THE DISTANCE ALONG THE CHANNEL FROM ONE OF SAID SIDE SURFACES TO THE OTHER AT A FIRST PREDETERMINED DISTANCE INTO THE CHANNEL, BEING GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE ALONG THE CHANNEL FROM ONE OF SAID SURFACES TO THE OTHER AT A PREDETERMINED SECOND DISTANCE FURTHER INTO THE CHANNEL WHEREBY WHEN SAID ARCH WIRE IS AT THE FIRST DISTANCE INTO THE CHANNEL, A GREATER PORTION OF SAID ARCH WIRE WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH SAID BRAKCET BODY THAN WHEN SAID ARCH WIRE IS AT THE SECOND DISTANCE INTO SAID CHANNEL. 